Choosing toilet paper involves more than comfort; it's about understanding the environmental and health impacts. While bleached toilet paper is common, it often uses harmful chemicals. Unbleached options provide a safer, eco-friendly alternative by avoiding these chemicals.

Let’s explore the benefits and drawbacks of different bleaching methods and highlight why unbleached toilet paper might be the better choice for your health and the planet.

What is bleached toilet paper?

Bleached toilet paper has undergone a bleaching process to achieve its white color. The bleaching process typically involves using chemicals to whiten the pulp fibers derived from wood or recycled paper.

This process helps improve the appearance of the toilet paper but raises health concerns due to the chemicals involved and their environmental impact.

Why do companies bleach toilet paper?

White is traditionally the color most associated with cleanliness. It’s the ultimate litmus test for spotlessness.

For instance, the finest hotels always showcase crisp, white sheets for a reason. In shared spaces like hotel rooms or family bathrooms, colors other than white leave too much to the imagination.

As a result, white is where the money is for companies selling paper products, and it’s why they bleach toilet paper. 

What is bad about bleached toilet paper?

Some bleaching processes involve harsh chemicals, like dioxins. Dioxins are highly toxic to human health. They can cause cancer, reproductive, and developmental problems, interfere with hormones, and damage the immune system.

Even though you aren't directly ingesting them, dioxins can still enter your body through contact with the skin. As a result, people expose themselves to dioxins with every bleached square of toilet paper they touch.

What are the different types of bleached toilet paper?

Bleached toilet paper comes in various types, each distinguished by its bleaching process, including: 

• Elemental Chlorine (EC)

• Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF)

• Processed Chlorine Free (PCF)

• Totally Chlorine Free (TCF)

While they may look similar because they all say chlorine, they’re not all the same. Every paper whitening method has different implications for the environment and human health.

What is elemental chlorine (EC) bleaching?

Elemental chlorine bleaching is a process that involves bombarding pulp with chlorine gas to strip away its natural color. This type of bleaching might work wonders for whitening wood pulp, but it’s unhealthy for people or the planet. 

This approach creates toxic by-products, including dioxins and furans. Dioxins are a group of chemically related compounds that are environmental pollutants and pose significant environmental and health risks.

Because of this, many paper manufacturers are moving towards methods that are kinder to the environment and safer for people.

What is elemental chlorine-free (ECF) bleaching?

Elemental chlorine-free bleaching is an advanced paper production method that skips the chlorine gas part. Instead, ECF favors chlorine dioxide, a process that’s much better for the environment.

Even though chlorine dioxide has “diox” in its name, it’s not a dioxin. Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) is a chemical compound used for bleaching and disinfecting. Chlorine dioxide is used because it’s effective and has a lower environmental and health impact than other bleaching agents (when used properly).

According to the American Forest and Paper Association, 95% of global pulp production employs this method. That means the toilet paper under or in your cabinet is probably responsible for that pristine white toilet paper you know and love.

What is processed chlorine-free (PCF) toilet paper?

Processed chlorine-free toilet paper is crafted from recycled paper or wood pulp that doesn’t use chlorine-based bleaching agents during its current production. 

While the recycled paper may have been bleached before repurposing, PCF uses alternatives like oxygen, ozone, or hydrogen peroxide to achieve its new white hue.

These eco-friendly methods reduce the release of harmful chemicals, making PCF toilet paper a much better choice for your health and the environment. 

What is Totally Chlorine Free (TCF) toilet paper?

Totally chlorine free toilet paper refers to products whitened without using any chlorine or chlorine-based compounds. This includes not using chlorine dioxide.

The TCF process relies on alternative bleaching agents with less environmental impact, such as oxygen, ozone, or hydrogen peroxide.

While it’s similar to PCF, the key distinction is that TCF toilet paper is never exposed to chlorine or chlorine-based compounds at any stage of its production—making it a more environmentally friendly option.

What is unbleached toilet paper?

Elemental chlorine and elemental chlorine-free bleaching are not the same as unbleached toilet paper. Unbleached toilet paper is fresh-faced and natural, skipping the bleach and keeping its soft, off-white appearance—it’s not bleached at all.

It maintains the natural color of the paper fibers, typically brown, and is often considered among the most environmentally friendly options because it avoids using bleaching chemicals altogether.

What are the different types of unbleached toilet paper?

Recycled unbleached toilet paper is made from recycled materials that may have been bleached in their previous use but are not bleached again during recycling. It typically has a natural brown or gray color because the original fibers retain some previous treatments.

Virgin wood unbleached toilet paper is made directly from raw wood. This paper retains its natural off-white or beige color. Virgin wood pulp is generally lighter than recycled paper because it hasn't been previously processed or mixed with other materials or ink. It’s a logical choice for those who prefer a lighter color without using bleached products.

Bamboo unbleached toilet paper uses bamboo fibers, which are naturally lighter in color than wood pulp. This paper can remain unbleached or be processed with eco-friendly methods like hydrogen peroxide. Bamboo fibers tend to be closer to a natural light beige, offering an eco-friendly and softer option.

How is chlorine dioxide used for whitening?

Chlorine dioxide is used in paper production to whiten wood pulp without relying on harsh elemental chlorine gas. It removes the dark stuff in wood (lignin) while keeping the fibrous parts intact.

While chlorine dioxide has “chlorine” in its name, its chemistry differs radically from that of chlorine. This process minimizes harmful by-products like dioxins, resulting in better-quality paper that's kinder to the environment and our health.

In other words, it gives us stronger, brighter paper without the same harmful side effects.

Is chlorine dioxide the same thing as bleach?

Chlorine dioxide and bleach are different. The name of the chemical compound for bleach is actually sodium hypochlorite.  While both are used for whitening and disinfecting, bleach is less eco-friendly and releases toxic chemicals.

It’s a gas that dissolves in water without forming harmful by-products, while bleach can react with water to form toxic substances. Federal organizations that develop recommendations for toxic substances, including OSHA, the FDA, ATSDR, and NIOSH, strictly regulate chlorine dioxide. This fosters more controlled use and scrutiny of its application.

It’s a safer choice because it’s less corrosive and works well at lower concentrations.

How is hydrogen peroxide used to whiten toilet paper?

Unlike chemical bleaching with chlorine or chlorine dioxide, hydrogen peroxide works its magic by breaking it down into water and oxygen. This clean process leaves absolutely zero; let me emphasize zero nasty residues or harmful by-products, keeping it safer and more eco-friendly.

Hydrogen peroxide brightens the paper without any side effects, sparing the environment from toxic chemical releases. It is our top pick for its gentle touch and minimal impact on our health and the planet.

What’s the difference between bleached and unbleached toilet paper?

Bleached toilet paper undergoes a chemical bleaching process using substances like chlorine or chlorine dioxide to achieve a bright white color. This method may pose health risks due to potential chemical residues and environmental concerns from by-product release.

Unbleached toilet paper, in contrast, skips the chemical bleaching process, retaining a natural brown or off-white color. This reduces health risks associated with chemical exposure and minimizes environmental impact by avoiding the release of harmful substances into ecosystems.

While bleached paper often boasts a brighter appearance, unbleached options appeal to eco-conscious consumers for their gentler footprint on the environment, health, and sometimes even the wallet.

Conclusion

Bleached toilet paper undergoes a chemical process to achieve its white color, raising significant health and environmental concerns. Companies bleach toilet paper to meet consumer expectations for cleanliness despite the risks posed by harmful chemicals like dioxins.

Different bleaching methods, such as elemental chlorine, elemental chlorine-free, processed chlorine-free, and totally chlorine-free, vary in their impact on health and the environment.

Unbleached toilet paper, maintaining its natural color, offers a safer and more eco-friendly alternative. Consumers should weigh the benefits and risks of bleached versus unbleached toilet paper to make informed choices that prioritize health and sustainability.

Who Gives A Crap’s recycled toilet paper uses hydrogen peroxide for bleaching, and our bamboo toilet paper combines hydrogen peroxide with chlorine dioxide. Make the switch to Who Gives A Crap for a bathroom solution that cares for both your preferences and the planet!